Because a guy I used to know
Is returning now to show
That the wrong way to be
Is rubbing off on me
I guess we were never going to be friends
I've never really liked people that are too right on
Mind you, I'd love to turn my back on everything I've preached for years
I bet that's a right laugh

Because a guy I used to know
Is returning now to show
That the wrong way to be
Is rubbing off on me
And no you can't come back to mine
Because I know that you will find
That the wrong way to be
Is rubbing off on me

You were funny the other night
You were just name dropping
Talking about scene hopping
Dreaming of chart topping
I remember, just before I walked away
Wondering to myself
How someone that lives so much of their lives through other people
Could possible have so much to say

Because a guy I used to know
Is returning now to show
That the wrong way to be
Is rubbing off on me
And no you can't come back to mine
Because I know that you will find
That the wrong way to be
Is rubbing off on me

You know, your scene has got a lot to answer for
Like all these clued up arseholes
Trying to set us and Wakefield at war

You know it's not right but it's something you like

Because a guy I used to know
Is returning now to show
That the wrong way to be
Is rubbing off on me
And no you can't come back to mine
But you will always blow my mind
Yeah the wrong way to be
Is rubbing off on me

Overall Meaning

The Cribs’ “The Wrong Way To Be” is a song about the influence of negative people in one’s life. The singer narrates that an old acquaintance who represents the wrong way of life is back and trying to reconnect with him. He admits that he had never liked people who were too righteous, and while he had always preached to himself and others to stay away from such people, he finds himself craving the allure of the wrong way of life that his acquaintance represents. The singer portrays his inner conflict between staying true to his beliefs and following the exciting path of the wrong way of life.

The lyrics of the song describe the destructive influence that negative and shallow people can have on those around them. The singer’s old acquaintance seems to have nothing new to say, just discusses other people, and all his conversations revolve around name-dropping and trying to be seen as cool. The singer is honest about how he is attracted to the devil-may-care attitude of his acquaintance but also realizes that it's a trap. He acknowledges that he is afraid of the wrong way of life rubbing off on him and becoming like his acquaintance, but he is also fascinated with the idea of burning his bridges and living recklessly.

Overall, the song portrays the singer's inner battle between the temptation to give in to the wrong way of life and the desire to stay true to his principles, exposing how easily people can fall into negative habits, behaviors, and attitudes if they are not careful.

Line by Line Meaning

Because a guy I used to know
My old acquaintance is making a re-appearance in my life.

Is returning now to show
He has come back to demonstrate something to me.

That the wrong way to be
He embodies behaviors and attitudes that are incorrect and misguided.

Is rubbing off on me
Being around him is influencing me negatively, and I'm starting to act more like him in some ways.

And no you can't come back to mine
I don't want him to come over to my place.

Because I know that you will find
I'm certain that he will notice something about me that I don't want him to see.

That the wrong way to be
Once again, I'm referring to the incorrect behaviors and attitudes that I've been embodying lately.

Is rubbing off on me
I'm concerned that his presence and influence is turning me into someone I don't want to be.

You were funny the other night
I'm recalling a recent interaction with him where he said or did something amusing.

You were just name dropping
However, I saw through his attempts to appear impressive by mentioning famous people he supposedly knows.

Talking about scene hopping
He was also bragging about going to different trendy events and places.

Dreaming of chart topping
He seemed overly focused on becoming a successful musician or artist.

I remember, just before I walked away
I recall a moment when I started to distance myself from him.

Wondering to myself
I had questions and doubts in my mind about his character.

How someone that lives so much of their lives through other people
I was perplexed by the fact that he seemed to rely heavily on others' experiences and connections to define himself.

Could possible have so much to say
Despite this, he still had a lot of opinions and comments to make.

You know, your scene has got a lot to answer for
I blame the larger social circle and cultural scene that we are both part of for contributing to his negative influence on me.

Like all these clued up arseholes
I view many of the people in our scene as smug and pretentious.

Trying to set us and Wakefield at war
I also see a lot of unnecessary conflict and rivalry within our community.

You know it's not right but it's something you like
I recognize that what I'm doing is wrong, but I feel drawn to it anyway, possibly out of a misguided sense of rebellion or excitement.

But you will always blow my mind
Despite my reservations, I still find him intriguing and captivating in some way.

Yeah the wrong way to be
Once again, I'm acknowledging the problematic nature of my recent behavior.

Is rubbing off on me
And once again, I'm worried about the impact that my old acquaintance is having on me.

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